Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/123

Rh Breezes and Cloudy weather. Between 10 and 11 a.m. took several Observations of the sun and moon; the mean result of them gave the Long. of the Ship at Noon to be 127° 38′, and is 1° 49′ E. of the Long. given by the Log; but on the 4th Instant the ship by Observation was 47′ W. of the Log, therefore she must have: lost 2° 36′ of the Log since the last Observation—an Error too great to be accounted for. Wind calm, variable, S.S.E.; course N. 40° W.; distance 53 m.; lat. 19° 34′ S., long. 129° 27′ W.

Friday, 31st.—A Steady breeze and fine pleasant weather. A.M. took several Observations of the sun and moon, the mean result of them came within 8 Miles of Yesterday's Observations computed both by Mr. Green and myself, and yet cannot think so great an error can have been committed in the ship's run in so short a time as these observations seem to point out, and therefore I shall abide by the Longitude given by the Log unless from subsequent Observations this error should be found to be just. Wind South; course N. 75° 45′ W.; distance 111 m.; lat. 19° 7′ S., long. 131° 21′ W.

Saturday, April 1st.—A steady fresh Trade and fine Weather. Variation per several Azimuths 2° 32′ E. Wind S.E. to E. ½ N.; course West; distance 122 m.; lat. 19° 7′ S., long. 133° 28′ W.

Sunday, 2nd.—A fresh Trade wind and fine pleasant weather. At Noon saw a Large flock of Birds; they had brown backs and white Bellies. They fly and make a noise like Stearings, and are shaped like them, only something larger. Saw likewise some black Sheerwaters and Several Man-of-War birds. Wind East; course N. 86° 30′ W.; distance 118 m.; lat. 19° 0′ S., long. 135° 33′ W.

Monday, 3rd.—First and Latter parts a steady fresh Breeze and cloudy; the Middle, sometimes squally with rain, at other times little wind. P.M. saw 2 Birds like Albetrosses; they were all white except the Tip of their wings and Tails. Wind East; course N. 82° 45′ W.; distance 110 m.; lat. 18° 46′ S., long. 137° 29′ W.

Tuesday, 4th.—A Steady fresh Trade and clear weather. At ½ past 10 a.m. saw land bearing south, distance 3 or 4 Leagues. Haul'd up for it, and soon found it to be an Island of about 2 Leagues in Circuit and of an Oval form, with a Lagoon in the Middle, for which I named it Lagoon Island. The Border of land Circumscribing this Lagoon is in many places very low and narrow, particularly on the south side, where it is mostly a Beach or Reef of rocks; it is the same on the N. side in 3 places, and these disjoins the firm land and make it appear like so many Islands covered with wood. On the W. end of the Island is a large Tree which looks like a large Tower, and about the Middle of the Island are two Cocoa Nutt Trees that appears above all the other wood, which as we approached the Island looked very much like a